In a semiconductor processing apparatus, a gate valve is used for opening and closing an opening communicating with a vacuum chamber. This semiconductor processing apparatus is very expensive, and accuracy is required in processing, and therefore maintenance is indispensable. In the maintenance, works, such as removing the gate valve from a vacuum chamber and replacing a deteriorated valve plate and deteriorated seal members and the like, are performed. Part of the vacuum chamber to which a gate valve is attached and its vicinity are very complicated. Therefore, in recent years, a gate valve having a structure described in Patent Literature 1 has been used so that the removal and reattachment of the gate valve, the replacement of a valve plate, and the like can be performed as easily and quickly as possible.
This known gate valve is formed such that a closing assembly is formed by integrating a valve plate (closing plate) that opens and closes the opening (through-hole), a valve plate housing frame (housing-like member) that houses the valve plate, a valve shaft (piston rod) connected to the valve plate, and an operation mechanism portion (cylinder unit) that operates the opening and closing of the valve plate via the valve shaft, the closing assembly is detachably attached to the vacuum chamber by fixing the valve plate housing frame to a side wall of the chamber with a fixation screw, and the opening communicating with the valve plate housing frame is opened and closed by the valve plate.
Thus, during maintenance, by removing the whole closing assembly from the vacuum chamber, the replacement of the valve plate and seal members and the like can be performed easily.